It is home to the Winnipeg Jets.
Canada Life Centre, formerly Bell MTS Place
Canada Life Centre is the downtown Winnipeg home of the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL, the AHL's Manitoba Moose and the CEBL's Winnipeg Sea Bears, and the city's main arena for concert tours. It seats 15,225 for hockey, the smallest capacity in the NHL, and 16,345 for concerts. For a Jets game, the best seats are at center ice in the lower bowl, sections 105–106 and 118–119, row 10 or higher. The value pick is the center of the 200 level (205–206 and 218–219), and the 300 Loge offers wider seats with a ledge at the front of the upper level.
The building has had three names. It opened on November 16, 2004, as the MTS Centre, became Bell MTS Place on May 30, 2017, after Bell bought Manitoba Telecom Services, and was renamed Canada Life Centre on June 15, 2021, under a 10-year deal with the Winnipeg-based insurer. It is also easy to confuse with Canada Life Place in London, Ontario, the former Budweiser Gardens. Check the city on your tickets.
How the 100, 200 and 300 levels are laid out
Canada Life Centre stacks three seating levels in a compact bowl, which is why even upper seats feel close. Section ranges come from RateYourSeats, with premium details from TickPick.
100 level: the lower bowl
Lower sections are numbered from 101 into the 120s around the ice. The center-ice sections are 105–106 on the penalty-box side and 118–119 on the bench side. For most Moose games only this lower bowl is open, about 8,812 seats.
200 level
The middle level runs 202 to 228. Center ice is 205–206 and 218–219, directly above the best lower seats.
300 level and the Loge
The upper level runs 301 to 330. Its front rows are the 300 Loge (listed as L301 through L330), with wider seats and a personal ledge for food and drinks. In 2015 the arena added 278 premium seats to the upper level. The upper concourse sits outside section 325.
Clubs and suites
The Budweiser King Club covers sections 124–127 and 223–228, with theater-style seats, in-seat service and a lounge. Suites are on the Scotiabank Premium Suite Concourse. Accessible seating is in 11 sections across both bowls.
Best seats for a Jets game
According to TickPick, the Jets bench is in front of section 119, the visitors' bench in front of 118, and the penalty boxes between 105 and 106 across the ice.
- Best overall: 105–106 or 118–119, row 10 and up. Below row 10, the glass and players at the benches get in the way.
- Best value: 205–206 and 218–219. You lose a little closeness but gain a clean view over the glass, and in a building this size the 200 level is not far from the ice.
- Upper-level center ice: 304–307, with the Loge rows at the front of those sections the most comfortable seats up top.
- The attack-twice end: the Jets shoot twice toward the net in front of sections 111 and 112, so the lower end seats there see most of the home team's chances.
TickPick's assessment is that the building has no truly bad seats, helped by the plexiglass that replaced metal rails after the Jets returned, removing old obstructions. Wear white for playoff games: the Whiteout tradition dates to 1987, and fans still shout "True North" during the anthem.
Concerts and other events
Concert capacity reaches 16,345. For a standard end-stage show, the floor and the lower-bowl sides angled toward the stage are the closest seats, and the lower sections facing the stage from the far end show the full production. Sections beside or behind the stage can lose the screens; check the event map before buying. The 200-level sides are a strong value choice for concerts, because the bowl is compact.
Beyond hockey and music, the arena has hosted the 2008 Brier, the 2007 IIHF Women's World Championship, UFC cards in 2013, 2017 and April 2026, WWE and AEW broadcasts, and in March 2026 the first PWHL game played in Winnipeg, which drew 15,225 fans.
Parking, walkways and transit downtown
The arena's fan guide counts more than 13,000 parking spaces in surface lots and garages within a 10-minute walk. Several of them connect to Winnipeg's enclosed downtown walkway system, a real advantage in January:
- True North Square
- Portage Place
- City Place Lot 1
- Millennium Library
- Winnipeg Square
As of the 2026–27 season, parking can be prepaid through the arena's website. Accessible stalls are in several nearby lots, and accessible drop-off is on Donald Street.
Transit is often simpler. The arena sits on the Graham Avenue transit corridor, where more than 40 Winnipeg Transit routes converge, giving most of the city a one-bus ride. Taxi and rideshare zones are on eastbound Portage Avenue between Carlton and Hargrave, and on Donald Street between Graham and St. Mary. Check the arena's fan guide before you go.
Bag policy and entry
As of the 2026–27 season, Canada Life Centre's bag limit is very small: bags must be 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches or smaller, roughly a phone wallet. Medical, childcare and media bags are exempt but must use Gate 1 (Portage and Donald), Gate 3 (Graham and Hargrave) or Gate 6 (the Cityplace skywalk) for X-ray screening. There is no bag check, though a coat check operates at Gate 1. Individual tours can set stricter rules; check the venue's current policy before you go.
- Tickets: mobile only; print-at-home tickets are no longer accepted.
- Re-entry: not permitted, except case by case for emergencies.
- Payment: food and drinks are cashless.
- Children: age 2 and up need a ticket for Jets and Moose games.
- Not allowed: hard-sided water bottles, selfie sticks and outside food.
Built on the Eaton's site: a short history
True North Sports & Entertainment built the arena for about 133.5 million Canadian dollars on the site of the former Eaton's department store on Portage Avenue, demolished in 2002 after a public campaign to save it. The design keeps the memory alive: red brick on the facade, an original store window and Tyndall stone surround housing Eaton's memorabilia, and the Timothy Eaton statue on the concourse, one floor above where it once stood. The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame is on the main level.
The arena replaced the old Winnipeg Arena, home of the original Jets until they moved to Phoenix in 1996. On May 31, 2011, True North announced the purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers in this building, and the NHL returned to Winnipeg that fall. The Moose, who opened the arena in 2004, came back in 2015, making it one of the first buildings to house both an NHL team and its AHL affiliate. More history is on the arena's Wikipedia page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canada Life Centre the same as Bell MTS Place?
Yes. It opened as MTS Centre in 2004, became Bell MTS Place in 2017 and was renamed Canada Life Centre on June 15, 2021. It is not the same as Canada Life Place in London, Ontario.
What is the capacity of Canada Life Centre?
Canada Life Centre seats 15,225 for hockey, the smallest in the NHL, and 16,345 for concerts. Most Moose games use only the lower bowl, about 8,812 seats.
Where should I park for a Jets game?
More than 13,000 spaces sit within a 10-minute walk. True North Square, Portage Place, City Place Lot 1, Millennium Library and Winnipeg Square connect to the heated walkway system, and parking can be prepaid online.
What size bag is allowed at Canada Life Centre?
As of 2026–27, bags must be 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches or smaller. Medical, childcare and media bags are exempt but must be screened at Gate 1, 3 or 6, and there is no bag check.
What are the best seats at Canada Life Centre?
Center ice in sections 105–106 and 118–119, row 10 or higher, is best for hockey. For value, the 200-level center sections 205–206 and 218–219 avoid the glass entirely.
Which end do the Jets shoot at twice?
According to TickPick, the Jets attack twice toward the net in front of sections 111 and 112.